Chinese fight in iPad 2 queues, causing injuries

Everyone wants an iPad 2, but seemingly not as much as some Chinese people who queued for the shiny new tablet in Beijing.

The launch of the iPad 2 in China drew large numbers of people. Being the prepared bunch that the chinese are, the Apple retail staff had brought in a new procedure for the queues, involving numbered wristbands. Apparently, all hell broke loose in the Beijing Sanlitun Apple store causing it to close temporarily. Right now details are scarce, but it would appear that an Apple store employee had a ‘disagreement' with some scalpers.

Local newspapers are reporting that four people have been injured and taken to the hospital and one of the glass doors in the Apple store was broken while the mess was cleaned up. The police are investigating the incident with the possibility of charging some of the people involved.

Unfortunately, when the store was being closed to deal with the incident, a ‘riot' started with customers being ushered out the back door. Apparently outside a fight broke out between ‘a foreigner and a Chinese man'. Other reports, which are unconfirmed indicate that Apple Store employees battered a ‘jobless' man who was apparently acting as a scalper.

There are always crowds involved with the new launch of an Apple product, but it certainly seems as if tensions were running high in Beijing. With Apple planning to open 25 stores in China over the next few years, we hope this isn't an indication of things to come.

KitGuru says: The iPad 2 is a hot property, but we have never heard of Apple staff being involved in a physical altercation before

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